Love and Other Insanities
by iloveromance
Summary: Elaine Benes is blissfully happy after finding love with Jerry Seinfeld. However, when friends and family express their disapproval, she begins to wonder if it's all worth it.  Written as a sequel to "Harbored Feelings"
1. Chapter 1

_Monk's Diner_

"George, why do you keep staring at me?" Jerry asked.

George leaned back against the slick seat and stared at Jerry and Elaine who were sitting across from him.

"I just don't get you two."  
"You don't get a lot of things, George." Jerry pointed out.

When Elaine laughed, George shot her a look.

"So George what seems to be the problem?"

George continued to watch Jerry and Elaine in awe.

"George come on! What gives?" Elaine pleaded.

Jerry put his arm around Elaine.

"Come on, Georgie Boy." He said as he cupped Elaine's chin in his hand.

"This is the face of a woman who knows what she wants. Now are you going to deny her that privilege?"

"Cut it out, Jerry." Elaine said, playfully ruffling his hair.

"Out with it!" Jerry ordered.

George shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "You guys have been together for what, a week now and you're already sitting on the same side of the table? I mean, seriously do you have to make it so _obvious_?"

"Who's being obvious?" Jerry asked. "We've been sitting at this booth for years! You're just now noticing that we're sitting next to each other?"

He turned to Elaine and pretended to whisper. "Do you still have the number of that nursing home you used to visit? Because I think George here may need to check in early."

"Ha ha, very funny." George said. "But seriously, it's different now. You're... together."

"You know what, George? You're right." Jerry said, causing Elaine to glance at him worriedly.

"Jerry... what are you saying?"

"No, Elaine. George is right. Tell you what I'm going to do..."

"This is big..." Kramer said, leaning in to get a closer look.

"Jerry, please! Can't we discuss this?"

Jerry slid out of the booth and rose to his feet. "Okay. I'm standing now. Are you happy George?"

"Wait, what are you doing?" George asked.

"See? Elaine and I aren't _together_ anymore. I'm here and she's there. I'm standing, she's sitting?"

For effect, Jerry waved his arm dramatically, as though he were a game show host pointing out the prize behind Door #3.

To his surprise, Elaine slid across the seat and grabbed her purse.

"Actually, I just remembered... I've gotta get going."

Now Jerry was worried. "But I thought we were gonna share an omelet!"

"Woah...You two were gonna _share_ an omelet?" Kramer repeated. He raised his eyebrows up and down.

"Wow, you two really _are_ lovebirds! Giddyup!"  
Jerry rolled his eyes.

"I didn't mean it, really! It was a joke! Where are you going?" He asked Elaine, as though Kramer were non-existent.

_One could only hope..._

"Oh, I told Sue Ellen that I'd meet her at the gym for Pilates." Elaine replied.

"_Pilates_? Sounds like some kind of disease." George said.

Jerry was appalled. "Elaine, you _hate _Sue Ellen! She ran off and married David Puddy while we were locked up! How could you even associate with her?"

Elaine shuddered at the memory. "Don't remind me."

"I should thank her." Jerry said, taking Elaine's hand.

Elaine blushed at the romantic comment. "Jerry..."

George cringed at the mushiness. "What is this? What in the _hell_ is this?"

"What is _what_, George?" Elaine asked.

George looked at his friends in disbelief. "You're holding hands now? Have you no_ shame_?"

Jerry and Elaine looked at each other. "No, George. Apparently we _don't_." Jerry said.

"So Elaine, why are you rushing off to see Sue Ellen?" Jerry asked.

"Well, we ran into each other at the bakery-you know the one that has the marble rye?"

Jerry cringed. "How could I forget? To this day I can't even look at marble rye without thinking of that old bag!"

Elaine laughed. "God, I can't believe I forgot about that!"

"I wish I could." Jerry said.

"So anyway, we started talking and I realized that since David's out of my life for good, there's no reason why she and I can't be friends."

Jerry scoffed. "So apparently the fact that she married the guy isn't reason enough."

"Believe me, it's _more_ than enough." Elaine said. "But I'm different now. I'm trying to look for the _good_ in people. Although in some, it's harder to find." She added with a nod toward George and Kramer.

Jerry laughed, ignoring George's glare.

Elaine looked at her watch. "Oh man, I'm gonna be late! You know how insane Sue Ellen gets if she's kept waiting. I'll call you later?"

"Yeah, okay. Or just come on over. I'll be up." Jerry said.

To George's horror, Jerry and Elaine leaned toward each other and kissed. Right there in front of everyone in the restaurant!

"Bye guys." She said with a wave from the door to George and Kramer.

"What in the hell was _that_?" George demanded after Elaine was gone.

"What are you talking about?" Jerry asked, knowing full well what George was referring to.

"That!" George said, pointing to the now empty seat next to Jerry.

"The kissing, holding hands... and in a public place!"

"You know, I seem to remember a certain short bald guy who was all over his girlfriend Susan in these very seats, not that many years ago." Jerry said.

"Ye-ah!" Kramer yelled. "Explain that one, Shorty!"

George was taken aback by the unwanted nickname concerning his height. "Hey who are you calling short?"

"I'm calling _you_ short, Buddy." Kramer said with a click of his tongue.

"Well?" Jerry asked.

"It was different with Susan and me. We were... in love."

Jerry scoffed. "Oh right. You were so _in love_ with her that you practically jumped for joy when she died from licking those envelopes. You know, that concerns me. Someone actually died from that. I wonder if you can die from peeling off those strips from the big manila envelopes as well. I mean, if that sticky stuff got on your fingers..."

"I don't think so." Kramer said.

"But it's worth looking into, right?"

"You know, you're right." Kramer said. "I'll have Newman get on it right away."

"Well there's a comforting thought." Jerry said.

"Seriously, Jerry..." George continued. "You see, Susan and I, we were like two-."

"Imbeciles?" Jerry offered.

Kramer laughed hysterically, garnering the attention of several Monk's patrons.

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh if you want to." George said. "But believe me... Susan and I were very passionate people!"

"So what does that make Elaine and I?" Jerry asked.

"Well, you're in a _relationship_." George said.

"So?"

"_So_? Jerry... People know that you and Elaine hang around all the time. What are they gonna think when they see you two all _lovey dovey_?" Kramer asked, accenting the words _lovey dovey_ with a high-pitched voice.

"He's right." George said. "People are gonna start talking, so you'd better be prepared to answer."

"And who are you, Dr. Phil?"

"I'm just saying that we've had more of our share of media coverage. I'm already an embarrassment to my parents. I don't need you and Elaine making it worse, okay?"

Jerry scoffed. "This from a guy who once got caught eating an Eclair out of the trash can! If that 's not the best way to embarrass yourself, I don't know what is!"

"IT WAS ON THE TOP!" George protested.

"I've got to get out of here." Jerry said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of bills, tossing them onto the table.

Immediately George picked up the money to examine it. "Jerry... this is a twenty dollar tip!" He exclaimed.

"So?"

"_So_? Jerry, all you had was iced tea!"

To George and Kramer's amazement, Jerry shrugged.

"She was a good waitress! She deserved a big tip! Look I'll see you boys later, okay? I gotta go rehearse for a show."

When Jerry was gone, Kramer looked at the check and jerked back in shock when he saw the small amount.

George couldn't help but eye the pile of bills with envy.

"Do you think he'd notice if we took a couple? I mean, he does owe me ten dollars from six months ago."

"What? Are you crazy? This place is crawling with Feds!" Kramer exclaimed. "They'll lock you up in seconds! You have a criminal record you know. Yeah, the Feds... boy they love that stuff!"

George's eyes narrowed. "_Feds_? In Monk's Diner?"

"Come on, let's get out of here. I feel like we're being watched." Kramer said.

George followed Kramer to the door, then stopped and turned around just as Kramer walked outside.

Casually he re-entered the diner and walked back to the table. Just as he reached for a handful of bills, he froze when he spotted a cop sitting at the counter.

_Oh damn..._

Releasing his grip on the money, the bills floated back to the table.

He smiled and waved nervously at the cop.

"How's it going? Catch any criminals today? Boy, New York is sure crawling with them, isn't it? Yep, can't be too careful these days."

"Sure." The cop said with a nod and a fake smile.

When the cop returned his attention to his meal, George quickly scooped up all of the money and jammed it into the pockets of his pants.

"Here's a tip, waitress... Make better coffee next time."

He mumbled as he walked out of the diner.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Gym**  
"Ugh, I cannot _stand_ that instructor!" Elaine fumed as she and Sue Ellen walked out of Pilates class.

Sue Ellen smiled. "Well, he certainly seemed to like you, Elaine."

Elaine sighed. "Do you have _any_ idea how hard it is to work out when the instructor spends the entire time trying to look down your bra? I mean, he of all people should know what a woman's chest looks like! I should report that pervert!"

Sue Ellen smirked and took a swig of her bottled Evian water. "Maybe he's interested in more than your chest."  
"That's the last thing I need... some lowlife Pilates instructor falling all over me!" Elaine said.

"Well I know one thing... If David saw that instructor looking at me that way...

Oh... I'm sorry..."

"About what?"

Sue Ellen put her hand on Elaine's shoulder.

"I know you're still in shock about David and I. It's okay Hon. It'll take some getting used to, but you'll recover."

Elaine wanted to smash the woman's face in. Why in the hell did she decide to start speaking to her again? Determined not to look like an idiot in front of her so-called friend, she smiled.

"I'm fine with it, really."  
Sue Ellen looked like she was going to faint with relief.

"Are you serious? Oh Thank God, Elaine. I was so worried! I mean, I just couldn't believe you had the courage to say hello when we met in the bakery! Knowing you had forgiven me was just like Heaven."

Elaine scoffed. "I'll bet it was."

"What was that?" Sue Ellen asked.

"Um, I said... Never mind. Besides, I'm over David anyway. I've... moved on."

Sue Ellen's face brightened with interest. "Really? You've found someone new already?"

Elaine gave Sue Ellen the fakest smile imaginable.

"Of course!. I mean, I know it's hard to believe since David and I went out for so long..."

"Oh Elaine, that's marvelous! You simply must tell me more! I'm dying to know! So who is this mystery man?"

"Well, it's no mystery really. I mean, I've known him for years. We even dated for a while, but we've been friends forever."

"Elaine! Stop beating around the bush! I need details!" Sue Ellen prodded.

Elaine smiled; a _real_ smile this time.

She knew she was treading on thin ice, telling someone she didn't trust at all about her relationship with Jerry, but she just couldn't help herself.

She'd go crazy if she didn't tell someone. She hadn't been this happy in a very long time.

_Go for it, Elaine. If she's really your friend, she'll be genuinely happy for you._

"Elaine, I'm not getting any younger." Sue Ellen said.

_Boy ain't that the truth. Just look at those lines..._

"Well, you're not going to believe this."

Sue Ellen sighed. "No, I'm sure I won't."

Elaine took a deep breath. "Okay... Remember when we were released from jail?"

Sue Ellen shuddered. "That was only two weeks ago. How can I forget? Oh Elaine, I still can't believe you got yourself thrown in prison! It's... well, it's just appalling."

"Thank you." Elaine said, wondering if Sue Ellen would melt if someone threw a bucket of water on her.

It worked in _The Wizard of Oz_.

"Elaine, seriously! What were you thinking?" Sue Ellen continued. "You've got a criminal record now, and-."

"Will you let me FINISH?" Elaine yelled, causing the gym to grow strangely quiet.

"Don't make a scene, Elaine!" Sue Ellen hissed loudly. "Just tell me the story."

Elaine cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Okay, well after they let us out of jail, I started spending a lot of time with... um, this person... and..."

"Elaine, WHO?" Sue Ellen yelled bringing the gym to silence once more.

"Jerry."

Sue Ellen looked confused. "Jerry... Jerry... Doesn't ring a bell. Do I know him?"

Elaine was incredulous. "Of course you know him! Jerry Seinfeld? He came to your so-called wedding in India? How could you forget?"

A long silence followed as Sue Ellen appeared to be absorbing this news.

"Jerry Seinfeld?"

"Yes! Isn't it just incredible! I mean, I still can't believe it!" Elaine felt exactly like she had when Lester Bergman asked her to go steady in the 9th grade. He was the most popular boy at Ridgefield Junior High.

"Jerry Seinfeld?" Sue Ellen repeated.

"I know! I never thought it would happen, but-."

Suddenly, Sue Ellen grabbed Elaine's forearm and dragged her out of the gym.

"Hey wait! You're hurting me! Where are we going?" Elaine yelled in protest.

When they were on the sidewalk, Elaine jerked her arm away.

"What in the hell is the matter with you? You almost pulled my arm off!" She snapped.

"Jerry Seinfeld? Elaine Benes, are you crazy?" Sue Ellen yelled, startling Elaine with the outburst.

"What do you mean?" Elaine asked.  
"Oh my God... You just don't get it, do you? Did prison make you _that_ delusional?"

Elaine blinked. "I-I'm sorry. I'm not following."

Sue Ellen sighed loudly. "Jerry Seinfeld is a complete Jackass!"

Elaine was strangely shaken by the insult.

"Well, I know he can be, but I happen to love-."

"Save it Benes!" Sue Ellen snapped. "I know all about the crap that Seinfeld has pulled; The Bubble Boy, the Chinese restaurant, putting a PEZ dispenser on your leg during a piano recital?"

Elaine laughed despite herself. "Yeah, that was pretty funny."

Sue Ellen scoffed. "Funny? It's horrible! And worst of all, how could he live with himself after buying that woman a defective wheelchair?"

"But-But... Jerry had nothing to do with-"

"Don't try defending him! David told me all about it."

"David?"

"Yes, Elaine. _David._ As in David Puddy. The guy you ditched when you got yourself thrown in jail."

"Hey, I told him not to wait for me, but I never dreamed he would-."

"You never dreamed he would _what_, Elaine? Actually leave you? Well believe it. He loves me and only me. I'd never do anything to hurt me as badly as you hurt him. I mean, thank God I was there for him. You certainly weren't."

Like a flame, Elaine's anger began to rise. "Yeah, you were there all right. You barely waited until they locked my cell door before you made your move."

_God, she sounded like a soap opera actress..._

Unphased by this accusation, Sue Ellen sneered at Elaine.

"Well, at least I didn't lower my standards and find the only guy in the world who would break up with you and then date you again. You know... Jerry and those two friends of his make me sick. No wonder you couldn't find another man. You had to settle for that pathetic lowlife, Jerry Seinfeld. No other man would want you, anyway."

Shaken by Sue Ellen's hurtful comments, Elaine swallowed hard.

"I see... um, well... I'm glad we got to... catch up." She said, horrified when her voice began to break.

She took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure.

"Say, you want to grab a bite to eat?" Sue Ellen asked, as though nothing had happened. "I'm just dying for a Big Salad."

Was this woman insane? She actually expected Elaine to associate with her after insulting her to her face?

"No. I-I really need to get going. Goodbye, Sue Ellen."

Without looking back, Elaine headed to her car...

Fighting tears along the way.


	3. Chapter 3

"_Pop fly to right center. Johnson makes an easy catch and Woodrow is out of there_."

"Come on, Mets! You're killing me here!" Jerry yelled to the television.

He leaned back against the sofa cushions and glanced at his watch.

"Wow, it's really late. I thought for sure that Elaine would have called by now. She would love this game. Baltimore is annihilating the Mets tonight. Maybe I should call her."

He reached for his cordless phone and dialed her number

(Several minutes earlier)

Elaine walked into her apartment, tossing her keys haphazardly onto her cushioned chair. She'd worry about finding them later. It wasn't like she was going anywhere anytime soon.

As she entered her bedroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the hallway mirror.

The image startled her.

Her eyes (usually her best feature) were red and irritated from crying and the makeup she'd so carefully applied was now smudged. And her hair was a nightmare in itself!

_Damn it, Elaine. You should have listened to Jerry. What were you thinking, trying to make amends with a witch like Sue Ellen? _

She and David can have each other.

Suddenly the phone rang, almost causing Elaine to jump out of her skin. Who would be calling at this hour?

After the second ring, she walked over and looked at the Caller ID...

Damn, it's Jerry.

She wanted so much to pick up the phone and talk to him. As sappy as it sounded, she missed him with all her heart.

It rang again and again, until finally the answering machine clicked on.

"Lainey, it's me. Hey, I'm just sitting here watching the game. The Orioles are playing the Mets. _Killing _them, actually. I thought you might stop by, but I guess you're still out with Sue Ellen. Call me when you get this, okay? Just wanted to make sure that everything went all right. Love you!"

When the machine clicked off, Elaine's heart caught in her chest. The last two words-"love you" were short and subtle, but they meant so much. She knew how hard it must have been for Jerry to say them. He was never one for sentiment.

Well, until lately it seemed; and that was definitely okay.

Without out warning Sue Ellen's hateful words crashed through Elaine's thoughts; resounding in her head like a pounding headache.

"You had to settle for that pathetic lowlife Jerry Seinfeld. No other man would want you, anyway...

Tears sprang to her eyes once more. Wearily she undressed and stepped into the shower, trying unsuccessfully to wash away the memories of this horrible evening.

Moments later, she was curling up under the warm blankets...

Alone...

Just as she drifted off to sleep, the phone rang.

... and rang...

... And rang...

And then the answering machine clicked on. She heard an unmistakable sigh and then familiar mumbling.

"The machine again... Oh, hey Lainey. It's me again. Look, I know it's late and I'm sorry if I woke you, but you never called me back. I was just... a little worried. Oh hell, what am I saying? I'm a lot worried, okay? I admit it. God, I... I can't believe I'm so nervous here. We've known each other forever and slept together how many times? Anyway, call me. Please? Well, love you. Bye."

When the message ended, Elaine pulled the blankets closer to her body and hugged her pillow tightly.

_I love you too, Jerry..._


	4. Chapter 4

Jerry clicked off the phone in frustration.

Damn it, where was she?

A glance at his kitchen clock indicated that it was well past three. Even if she had been asleep when he called, she would have at least woken up to answer the phone.

He couldn't count the number of times he'd called her when he'd gotten home late from a show or yet another disastrous date. She always answered the phone, no matter what time it was; if only to tell him that she was exhausted.

Something was definitely wrong.

The Mets game was long over and when he glanced at the television screen, he realized that he had no idea what he'd been watching.

Damn commercials...

How many times must he watch the cat food commercial with the dancing cats? Did the cat food company honestly think that after eating their "delicious" cat food, a cat was going to suddenly start dancing like John Travolta?

Never gonna happen.

"_We now return you to the film 'Birdman of Alcatraz'" _

Immediately Jerry's attention was peaked.

Now why in the heck weren't he, George and Kramer allowed to have birds in prison?

Burt Lancaster was the luckiest guy around...

_Bird Man._  
That's a good name for a superhero. He'd have to run that by Elaine.

Wherever she was...

He picked up the phone again and dialed her number.

_Please pick up... Please pick up..._

_No answer. _

_Damn..._

He pushed the END button on his cordless phone so hard that it hurt his finger. Still, it just wasn't the same as slamming down a telephone receiver in frustration.

All of a sudden he couldn't focus and he began to experience shortness of breath. What was going on? His hand went to his forehead and he was shocked to feel how warm he was. Then the coughing started.

Well, it was bound to happen...

He was literally worried sick.

He began to pace the room, giving no thought to the fact that he was wearing his best pair of tennis shoes; the ones he reserved strictly for casual living room use.

This was the strangest feeling he'd ever had in his life. He'd never been this worried over a woman before. In fact, he rarely gave a second thought to a woman's fate after she left his apartment.

But that was before...

There was only one thing to do...

He picked up the phone and hit the speed dial.

_I can't believe I'm doing this. Seinfeld, you've officially lost your mind._

"Hello?" The groggy voice answered.

"George?"

"Ma?"

"No! It's me, Jerry! I need to talk to you."

"Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Jerry looked at his watch.

"Yeah. It's about 3:30 in the morning."

"Call me at noon. Goodbye."

"No, George! Don't hang up!"

He heard a sigh on the other end of the line.

"This had better be big. And when I say _big_, I mean..."

"Yeah, I know. _Big_." Jerry said with a roll of his eyes.

"All right, spill it." George ordered.

"H-have you seen Elaine?"

"Yeah, we saw her this afternoon at _Monk's_."

"No, I mean recently."

There was a pause. "Jerry, it's the middle of the night."

"I know, that's what worries me."

"Wait, you're _worried _about her? What's wrong?"

"Well, she said she was going to call when she got home from meeting with Sue Ellen, but she never did. I tried to call her but I kept getting her machine."

"Did you leave a message?"

"Of course I left a message. Don't I always? In fact, I left more than one."

"What did the messages say?"

"George, how is that important?"

"Jerry! This could be the answer to your problem."

"As usual, you're making no sense. George. I knew this was a bad idea."

"What bad idea? Jerry, the message you leave could be the reason she's not calling you back. For all you know, she could have been at home all this time."

"Well I hope so, because this is driving me crazy. As long as I know she's all right, I'll be fine."

"So what did you say in the message?" George asked again.

Jerry sighed, trying to remember what he had said. "I said that I was just calling to see how it went with Sue Ellen and..."

"Yeah? _And_..."

"Um, let's see... I think I said that I hoped she was okay, and then loveyou."

"What was that?"

Jerry swallowed hard. Why did he always have to open his big mouth?

"Jerry, what did you say?"

"I think I said 'love you.'."

"Come again?"

"I said "love you!" Jerry yelled into the cordless phone.

Suddenly there was a loud clanking noise, and Jerry cringed as he held the cordless phone away from his ear.

Then silence.

"George? George? Are you all right?"

More noise and then yelling;

"George Costanza? What in the HELL are you doing on the phone at this hour?"

_The unmistakable bellowing voice of Frank Costanza. _

"What was that noise? You're disturbing my beauty sleep!"

_Estelle..._

"What's going on in here?" Frank roared.

"I-I was talking to Jerry and I guess I dropped the receiver. Everything's fine now." George said sheepishly.

"Don't let it happen again! And tell Jerry to stop calling you in the middle of the night! People work around here!"

"All right, Pop. Sorry. Sorry, Ma."

"Everything okay, George?" Jerry asked with a smirk.

"Yeah. I just dropped the phone."

"So I heard."

"You really told Elaine that you love her?" George asked.

"It just kind of... came out. I've never said that to a woman before. Well, I mean... I might have said it to Elaine a few times, but..."

"Are you kidding me?" George yelled. "Why am I just finding out about this?"

"What difference does it make? I just want to make sure she's okay. It's driving me crazy not knowing."

"Just go over there." George said.

Jerry looked at his watch. "What, now?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"She'll kill me if I show up at this hour."

"Just tell her you were worried about her. Women love that stuff."

"They do?" Jerry asked, unable to believe he was asking George for advice on women.

"Oh yeah. So are you going to go over there?"

"Well, it's probably not a good idea. I guess I'll just wait and see if she calls." Jerry said.

"I'm sure everything's fine." George said. "Wanna meet Kramer and I for breakfast later?"

"Breakfast? I thought you weren't going to get up before noon."

"Ma's making breakfast and I need any excuse I can get to avoid the confrontation that's sure to happen. See you around 9?"

"Kind of early, isn't it?"

"Well, they never eat before 9:30, so I can make a clean breakout."

"Wow, you're a regular Clint Eastwood, aren't you?"

"Later, Jerry."

Jerry hung up the phone and looked at his watch. It was nearing 4am. Over five hours before he had to be at the diner.

Might as well get some sleep.

But sleep proved to be impossible...


	5. Chapter 5

Elaine opened her eyes, squinting as she tried to focus on her alarm clock;

5:42am

Damn, she'd been up all night, and as exhausted as she was, she just hadn't been able to go to sleep.

Reluctantly, she reached over and pushed the button on her answering machine. The phone had rung over and over last night, but she just couldn't bring herself to answer it.

The last thing the person on the other end of the line needed to hear was her ridiculous sob-story.

The first message made her cringe;

"_Elaine, it's your mother. I don't know why you never call me back. I'm your mother! You're probably out on a date and I hope for your sake that it's not with that awful David Puddy or that Seinfeld character. I don't know what you ever saw in him. He's just not funny at all and-."_

Elaine pushed the button and breathed a sigh of relief as the message was deleted.

And her mother wondered why she never came home for a visit...

The machine clicked over to the next message;

"_Lainey, it's me..."_

At the sound of his voice, her heart did a funny little flip.

"_...I was just a little worried. Oh hell, what am I saying? I'm a lot worried okay? ... Love you!" _

Then, the next message...

"_... Lainey, I'm just sitting here watching the game. Just wanted to make sure..."_

Poor Jerry.

Suddenly she felt worse than ever about not returning his calls.

With a sigh she climbed out of bed and got dressed. This was crazy. She had to talk to someone.

Talking to her mother was definitely out of the question. Her mind reeled, trying to think of anyone else she could call. When it came to advice on men, most of her friends were absolutely worthless.

How she wished that Brenda was still around. Brenda had been her coworker back when Elaine first met Jerry at the tiny _Laughter_ comedy club in Times Square.

If it weren't for Brenda's persistence, Elaine and Jerry might never have gotten together.

But Brenda had been gone from her life for a long time now, which left only one person to turn to.  
The thought made her wince.

It wasn't quite 6am, but she knew that it wasn't too early to call. The thought of making contact after such a long time was disturbing in a psychotic way.

But she had no other choice.

She picked up the phone and dialed the number; her heart racing as the phone rang and rang...

Suddenly it stopped.

"Hello?" The gruff voice answered.

"Hey Daddy."

"Elaine? Is that you?"  
"Um... yeah."  
"Kind of early to be calling, isn't it?"  
"Well, yeah, but I figured that you'd be up."

"I was! I was talking about it being early for you."

That was her dad... as sensitive as a drill sergeant!

"Oh, it's okay. I was awake." She said. "Actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about. You see..."  
"How's your mother?" He interrupted.

At the mention of her mother, she flinched, remembering the message she'd left about Jerry.

"Oh... Mom's... fine." She said, not really sure if it was true. It'd been ages since she'd gone home for a visit.

"Good." He answered curtly.

_Way to be concerned, Dad_.

"Um... Daddy? The reason I'm calling you is because I wanted to talk to you about something."

"It's not a man, is it?"

Elaine blinked in surprise.

_How did he know that?_

"Um, well... actually... Yes."  
"_What_ man?" He asked gruffly.

Elaine took a deep breath. "Well, Daddy... Actually it's about Jerry."

"Jerry? Jerry _who_?" He asked, practically barking the words.

"Seinfeld. Um, Jerry Seinfeld." She replied.

There was a much-too-long uncomfortable silence. After several seconds when he still hadn't answered, she began to panic.

"Daddy? Daddy are you okay? Answer me!"

Finally she heard movement.

"Daddy, are you all right?"  
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

She breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank God. I was so worr-."

"ELAINE, HOW COULD YOU?" He boomed, startling her.

Now she was confused.

"How could I _what_?"

"You're still seeing this Seinfeld character?"

She braced herself.

Here it comes.

"Yeah, Daddy... But you only met him one time and-."

"Damn it, Elaine! What are you doing running around with a jerk like him? He's a moron!"

"But Daddy-."

"He's a washed-up funny man, that's what he is. Saw his act on the Carson show last week. Just terrible!"

Elaine sighed. "Daddy, Carson retired a long time ago and-."

"Stay away from him, do you hear me?" He bellowed.

"I thought you liked him! When you met him, you said that he reminded you of someone in Nam. Don't you remember?"

"That jacket! That ridiculous striped jacket!" He fumed, as though he didn't hear her. "What kind of idiot goes around wearing something like that makes him look like he's joined the circus? You stay away, Elaine Benes. You hear me? He's bad news. If it weren't for him, you would have never gotten thrown in jail!

I mean it. Stay aw-."

Elaine clicked off the phone feeling worse than ever.

Damn...

That was a mistake of giant proportions.

Wearily she sat down on the bed trying desperately to clear her mind.

But all she could think about was Jerry.

Finally she sighed, realizing there was only one thing she could do.

And the thought made her sadder than she ever imagined...


	6. Chapter 6

Jerry walked into Monk's Diner, surprised to find George and Kramer sitting in their usual booth.  
He glanced at his watch. "What are you two doing here? It's only 8:30!"

"We could ask you the same question." Kramer said.

Jerry nodded in greeting to the cashier and slid into the booth across from George and Kramer.

"Yeah, we agreed on 9:00!" George said. "Why are you here so early?"  
Jerry groaned. "Oh, I couldn't sleep. This worrying is driving me crazy! I don't know how people do it!"

"Trust me, it's an art form." George said. "I've been practicing for years. I'm practically an expert."

"Pulled an all-nighter last night, did ya?" Kramer asked with a raise of his eyebrows. "Ooh la la!"

Jerry gave his friend a stern look. "Cosmo..."

"Still no word from Elaine?" George asked Jerry.

"No." Jerry said, flipping through the menu he'd just been handed by the waitress.

"Man, I'm starving." Jerry said. "I was so worried last night that I forgot to eat dinner."

"That's what love does to you." George said. "Of course, I wouldn't know, but... that's what I've heard."

"What's going on with Elaine?" Kramer wanted to know.

"She never called him back last night." George said. "And he tried all night to get her on the phone. This guy calls me at 3:30 in the morning, asking if I knew where she was! Can you believe that?"

"Whoa... that's deep." Kramer said. "So where is she?"  
Jerry sighed. "That's the thing. I wish I knew."  
When the waitress appeared at their table, Jerry handed her the menu.

"What'll it be, Sein-_field_?"

"Hey Blondie!" He snapped. "The name's Sein-FELD, as in Seinfeld!"

The waitress was caught off guard by Jerry's harsh tone.

"I don't care what in the hell your name is! What'll you have?" The waitress retorted.

"I'll have the Sunrise Special." Jerry said.

The waitress rolled her eyes, clearly irritated. "Look, it's after 9, and we don't serve it after 8:30. In other words, there is no more "Sunrise". She used her fingers to draw quotation marks in the air.

Jerry scoffed. Yeah, and it's definitely not _special!_" He said, bringing a laugh from both Kramer and George.

At her disgusted look, Jerry smiled. "I'm sorry, okay? I'll have... let's see... Yeah, this looks good; _The Morning Monk Breakfast_. And I want scrambled eggs, hash browns... Oh... and coffee. Lots of it."  
"Coffee?" George asked incredulously when the waitress left.

"Yeah? What's wrong with that?" Jerry asked.

George and Kramer exchanged glances.

"You _never_ drink coffee!" Kramer exclaimed.

"Well, maybe I do _now_!" Jerry yelled.

"You're really upset over this, aren't you?" George asked.

Jerry sighed and put his hands over his face in frustration. "I just wish I knew why she hasn't called. She could have at least called."  
"At least." George agreed.  
"Here's your coffee, Sein-FELD" The waitress snapped.

"Hey, listen. I'm sorry about that." Jerry said when she sat the coffee down in front of him. "Do you forgive me?"  
Puzzled, she nodded her head. "Yeah, sure."  
When the waitress was gone again, Kramer looked at Jerry.  
"Wow, you're really..."  
"What?" Jerry asked wearily.

"You know..."

Kramer whistled like a cuckoo and twirled his finger in a circle next to his head.

"Your breakfast, Seinfeld." The waitress said as she sat the plate down in front of him.

Before she even left the table, Jerry began to devour his meal.

"Whoa, huh! Where's the fire?" The waitress asked, watching him in shock.

"He's starving." George pointed out.

"I can see that." She said.

When Jerry gulped down his coffee, the waitress took the mug from him. "I'll get you some more, Hon."

Then she disappeared into the kitchen.

George and Kramer continued to watch Jerry in amazement while he ate his meal.

Just then they heard the sound of tinkling bells from the front door.  
Jerry looked up and dropped his fork mid-bite.  
"What's wrong, Jerry?" George asked.

In one fluid motion, Jerry slid out of the booth and rose to his feet.  
"Jerry? What's going-Oh..." George turned to find the source of Jerry's attention.

"Oh my God... I can't believe it!" Jerry said.

For standing just inside the doorway was Elaine.


	7. Chapter 7

Her heart beat increased as he moved closer and closer.

"Elaine."  
She smiled, suddenly feeling shy. "H-Hi. Look. Um... I'm sorry that I didn't call you last night. I just-."  
When he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, she felt her breath catch in her throat.

She could hear George sigh with exasperation.  
"Again with the kissing?"  
Elaine couldn't help but notice that Jerry made no effort to pull away.

Nor did she want him to.

_Wait... This was wrong... _

_So wrong._

_But it felt so right._

_No... This had to stop._

Slowly she pulled away, smiling at Jerry's handsome face.

"Wow..."  
To her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Hesitantly she allowed herself to rest her head on his chest... never wanting to let go.

"I was worried sick about you." He whispered into her hair.

Tears filled her eyes at the confession and she raised her head to look at him. "You-You were?"  
"Yeah. And I mean that literally. I think I have the flu now."

She laughed nervously at the joke. "I-I'm sorry... I mean... that I didn't call you."

"I'm just glad you're okay. That's the most important part."

She felt the color rise in her cheeks.

"Thanks."

"I'll be right back." Jerry said. He walked back to the booth where George and Kramer were still watching him with interest.

Then, without a word, he opened his wallet and laid some money on the table.

Immediately George picked up the bills and his eyes widened.

"Jerry! Another $20 tip?"

Jerry smiled and walked back to Elaine, sliding his arm around her shoulders.

"Come on, let's go."

As Jerry and Elaine walked out of Monk's, she turned and gave Kramer and George a friendly wave.

Kramer laughed and waved back, while George just stood and stared.

"Giddyup!"


	8. Chapter 8

They walked in comfortable silence through the city streets; their fingers entwined. Suddenly, Elaine stopped and turned to Jerry.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

Elaine sighed.

_If only you knew..._

"Lainey?"

"Can we go somewhere? To talk?"  
Jerry looked at her in surprise. "Sure. How about my place?"

The suggestion caught her off-guard. They'd shared so many wonderful moments in his apartment, that it just didn't feel right.

"No good?" he asked, as though reading her mind.

"It's fine." She said, realizing that it was probably the best place. "Jerry? I'm sorry about before. About not calling you. I didn't mean to make you worry." "But I'm flattered." She added with a smile.

Jerry smiled and hugged her warmly.

Elaine sighed contently. She loved being in his arms.

"I'm just glad you're okay." Jerry said, kissing her cheek.

He'd said these words earlier, but she found that she never tired of hearing them.

Minutes later, they arrived at his apartment.  
"Well, here we are." He said, tossing his keys aside as they stepped into the familiar living room.

"Do you want a Snapple?" Jerry asked.

"Um, yeah. I'll be right back." Elaine said. "I'm just gonna-." She pointed to the bathroom.

"Oh Sure, Go ahead." Jerry said with a nod.

She stepped inside the tiny bathroom and closed her eyes as she leaned against the door.

_God, why was this happening?_

Opening the door just a crack, she peeked into the living room. She could see him, sitting on the sofa; the television glowing. When she looked closer, her heart warmed...

He'd turned it to her favorite show.

It was such a simple thing, but it meant so much. Suddenly the realization of what she was about to do sunk in, and her eyes blurred with tears.

Damn, this was getting old, all this crying.

Must be hormones or something.

Quickly she grabbed a towel from the rack and began to blot her face with it.

She hadn't cried this much since...

Well, she couldn't even remember.

Maybe it was a side effect from spending a year in jail.

After all, the Latham County Prison wasn't exactly the Beverly Hills Hotel.

She'd cried a lot there at first, although she'd never admit it to anyone. Prison was, without a doubt, the scariest place she'd ever been in. And the nightmares she'd had afterwords (and still had) were even scarier.

A knock on the bathroom door caused her to jump in surprise.

"Elaine? Everything all right in there?" Jerry asked.

Her voice quivered when she spoke. "Um, yeah. Just a sec."

She carefully returned the towel to the rack, and then she pushed the door open, trying to smile at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, instantly realizing that she'd been crying.

Damn... He knew her so well...

He reached over and touched her cheek causing a wave of emotion to come over her.

The hot tears that rose in her throat were dangerously close to the surface. However, determined not to cry, she swallowed hard.

"I'm fine." She said walking past him to the living room.

She could tell that he didn't believe her. But to her relief, he didn't ask questions.

"Here. Let's sit down." Jerry said, gesturing to the sofa. She lowered herself onto the seat, surprised when he gently took her hands in his.

"You wanted to talk?"  
"Um... Yeah."  
"So what's on your mind?"

_Kissing you, holding you, being in your arms... Anything but this..._

Try as she might, she just couldn't bring herself to say the words.

The phone rang, bringing a sigh of relief.

"Oh hang on, okay?" Jerry said reaching for his phone.

"Hello?"  
"Hey, George."  
He listened for a moment in silence, nodding every few seconds. No doubt George is telling him about some woman he just met.

Suddenly Jerry looked over at Elaine, as though remembering that she wanted to talk to him.

"Um, George. Can I call you back? Yeah, I was just in the middle of something really important."  
Seconds later he hung up. "George can never take the hint when he's not wanted." Jerry mused.

Elaine laughed nervously as she looked into Jerry's eyes. God, why tonight of all nights did he have to look so damn gorgeous? And worse, why was she just now noticing?

The phone rang again, and Jerry instinctively reached for it.

To Elaine's surprise, he put the phone back. When it rang again, he pulled the plug from the back, smiling with satisfaction.

"That'll show 'em who's boss around here." He said, doing a bad (_really_ bad!) impression of John Wayne.  
She started to laugh, but to her dismay, the threatening tear slid down her cheek.

"Lainey, is everything okay?"  
He moved closer to her on the sofa and draped his arm around her.

She shook her head. "N-no..."  
"What is it?" He asked.

When she was silent, he withdrew his arm and looked at her in a rare moment of seriousness.

Elaine took a deep breath, wondering if she was imagining the pain beneath her chest.

"I don't..."  
He waited patiently for her to continue.

"Go on..." he said softly.

Those two simple words were all it took for her to lose it. When she looked at him through tear-filled eyes, his worried expression broke her heart.

If only she didn't love him so much...

"I don't think we should see each other anymore."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

"I see..." He said, although she knew he didn't.

"Is it something I said? Or did?" He asked.

Elaine sighed. She should have known that he would blame himself.

"No... it's..."  
"Here's where you say 'It's not you, it's me.'" Jerry finished. "I vaguely remember having this conversation once before. On our first date as a matter of fact."

The recollection of that moment squeezed her heart.

"But it's _not_ you." She said quietly.

"Right."

"No really. Jerry... It's not..." The statement sounded almost desperate.

"I thought things were different now... from before." Jerry said.

"I just... I can't do this..." She blinked; the hot tears now streaming down her cheeks.

He looked away and then back at her. When their gazes locked, she gasped.

Were those tears in his eyes?

"I-I should go." She said, no longer able to look at him.

Finally she rose from the sofa and grabbed her purse and coat.

Pausing in the doorway, she took one last look around the apartment that had been like a second home to her.

"I hope we can still be friends." She whispered hoarsely.

But as the door closed behind her, she knew that what they had was gone forever.


	9. Chapter 9

Alone in his apartment, Jerry sat in stunned silence, staring at her empty Snapple bottle.

_What in the hell just happened?_

Things were going so well. Sure, he'd been in denial about his feelings for her for years, but he didn't want to scare her away.

Prison life gave him a lot of time to think... and most of his thoughts had been about her.

Over and over his mind reeled, wondering what he should have said or done.

Oh, what difference did it make, anyway? She was gone.

His chest hurt (actually hurt) remembering how upset she looked.

He blinked and-

Oh damn...

His eyes were wet. That could only mean one thing...

_No..._

Who in the hell ever heard of a comedian crying?

God, if anyone saw him, he'd-

"Jerry! You'd gotta see what I've done with my apartment! It's brilliant, really! I'll make millions!"

Jerry looked up, horrified that Kramer had burst through the door. Quickly he pretended he hadn't seen him.

He had to think fast.  
He grabbed the phone and put it to his ear, staring out the window.

"...Yes, that sounds great. Well, I'd like to do the USA tour, but I guess Canada will do."

And then the phone rang...

"Oh I don't believe this..." Jerry muttered to himself.

He wiped his eyes, praying that his ridiculous ten minute breakdown didn't show on his face.

Boldly he turned to find Kramer watching him with interest.

"Hey Cosmo." He said glumly. When Kramer continued to stare, Jerry became worried.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Your phone rings while you're talking on it?"

"Um, yeah..." Jerry said, ignoring the ringing phone, grateful that he'd finally traded in his old answering machine for voice mail. Now he didn't have to worry about his messages being broadcast throughout his apartment.

Yep, the world after prison had certainly changed for the better.

Well, until now...

He was overwhelmed with relief when the ringing stopped. "Okay, thank you. Goodbye." He said into the phone.

"It's one of those new features that the phone company is letting me try out." Jerry explained. "That way you'll never miss your messages. I think I'm gonna keep it."

Kramer jerked back in frustration.

"What's with you?" Jerry asked.

"People always think of these things before I do! I could have made millions, Jerry! Millions!"

"Somebody must have beaten you to it." Jerry said, feeling a strange pang of sympathy for his friend. "Probably while we were in prison."

"Don't remind me." Kramer said.

"So what did you want to show me?" Jerry asked. He suddenly realized that he desperately wanted to get out of this place for a while.

_Too many memories of the woman he loved..._

_Who used to love him..._

"This'll just take a second, Jer-." Kramer said, waiting for Jerry to follow him across the hall.

With some reluctance, Jerry walked into the hallway. What if Elaine called while he was gone?

No, he couldn't think about that now.

Kramer pointed to the door.

"Okay, are you ready?"

"Sure, open up."

Dramatically, Kramer opened the door, causing Jerry's eyes to widen.

"Kramer, what have you done?"

"Is this brilliant or what, Jerry?"

"Or what." Jerry said.

Kramer smiled proudly. "Welcome to _K-Man Crusades_!"

Jerry looked around the apartment. The walls were covered with travel posters featuring every city imaginable. Throughout the room, travel brochures and stuffed animals representing various regions.

"Kramer, what in the hell _is_ this?"

"It's my new travel agency! Anywhere you want to go, just call on Cosmo Kramer."

"But you don't have the training to be a travel agent." Jerry said.

"That's the beauty of it." Kramer said, confusing Jerry even more.

"Um... Sure Kramer. Look, I've gotta get going." Jerry said, needing any excuse possible to get out of there.

Wow, prison must have really gone to Kramer's head.

"Okay, well, when you decide you want to go to the Bahamas just let me know!" Kramer called as Jerry stepped into the hallway.

"Sure thing, Kramer."

"I hear it's beautiful this time of year. You and Elaine would love it."'

At the mention of his former girlfriend, Jerry's chest tightened.

"Yeah, I'm sure she would." Jerry said, ignoring Kramer's confused look.


	10. Chapter 10

_Monk's (later that afternoon)_

"Kramer, that's ridiculous! You can't really expect me to believe that you're running a travel agency out of your apartment!"

"Why not, George? It's brilliant! I mean- Oh, hey Elaine."

Elaine walked into the restaurant and spotted George and Kramer, painfully aware that a familiar body was missing from their favorite booth.

_God, what have I done?_

She put on her best fake smile and went to greet her friends.

"Elaine, do you believe this?" George asked before she could even open her mouth. "Kramer here is running a travel agency out of his apartment!"

Normally she would have come up with a smart-mouthed remark.

But not today.

"It could happen." She said.

"Elaine, are you _kidding_ me? He's not qualified to run a travel agency!" George exclaimed, almost yelling the words.

Ignoring her friend, Elaine slid into the booth and picked up a menu. "So what are you guys having?"

"I think I'll have the soup." George said.

Kramer skimmed the contents of the menu. "I think I'm gonna try the tuna. Jerry's always raving about it."

At the mention of her former boyfriend, Elaine's heart did a tiny little flip. She pulled the menu closer to her face, trying to hide the sadness in her face.

"I think I'll have the Big Salad." She said, not even reading the menu.

George scoffed. "Again with the Big Salad? I can't believe you would order that after the hell I went through trying to give it to you in the first place!"

"Well I LIKE the Big Salad, okay?" She snapped.

George threw up his hands in irritation. "Sure, fine. Rub it in my face, why don't you? The least you could have done was said 'thank you', but noooo..."

"George! You're making a scene!" Kramer said. "They'll put you away for sure! And I _don't_ mean in jail."

"Oh, _I'm_ making a scene?" George asked, pointing to Elaine. "I'll tell you who makes a scene around here. _Those two_!"

Elaine blinked in surprise. "_What_?"

"That's right. You and Jerry with your shameless kissing and hand-holding. I mean, really Elaine... right in front of everyone?"

"Buddy, you're just jealous." Kramer said with a click of his tongue.

"Jealous? You're nuts! You think I want to sit here and watch Elaine and Jerry kiss each other while I'm trying to eat? I tell ya... Hey, where is Jerry anyway?" George asked. "He's usually here by now."

Elaine looked away, the familiar heaviness settling in her chest. She stared out the window, willing him to arrive.

"Something wrong?" George asked.

She tried to smile but it was impossible.

"Elaine?"

Her eyes filled with tears, causing George and Kramer to exchange worried glances.

"Elaine? What's wrong?" George said again.

A tear streaked down her cheek, and she sniffled. "I should go." She said grabbing her coat and purse.

"But we haven't ordered yet!" Kramer said.

George's irritated expression turned to seriousness. "Hey, Elaine, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-."

"I-it's fine. Bye George. Bye Kramer."

"Wait!" George called to her as she walked out the door.

When she didn't stop, he and Kramer slid out of the booth and ran to catch up with her.

"Hey!" The waitress yelled. "You can't just walk out! I got a living to earn, you know!"

"Watch us!" Kramer yelled back.

Breathless, George and Kramer rounded the corner, stopping mere inches from her.

"Elaine!"

Reluctantly, she turned around, suddenly embarrassed by her tear-streaked face. Now she was really pathetic; crying in front of her friends.

But instead of being disgusted, George looked...

Concerned.

"You're crying."

She tried to act normal, and brushed the tears from her cheeks.

"Gee George, whatever gave you that idea?"

To her surprise, he put his hand on her shoulder. "Well, your hurt expression for one. Believe me, I've made plenty of women cry, and-."

"Shut up, George!" She yelled, shoving him away. "I need to get home."

When she started to walk away, George ran after her.

"Elaine, wait!"

She rolled her eyes and turned around. "Leave me alone, George!"

"What's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

"I-I..."

"Come on, you can tell me." George said. "Is it bad?"

Elaine nodded tearfully.

"Believe me, I've heard it all." George said. "I've pretty much screwed up my life so many times that nothing you could say would shock me."

"Um... Jerry and I broke up." She said, the words rushing from her mouth.

George stared at her in shock.

"_What_? Well when did this happen?"

"A couple of hours ago."

"_A couple of hours ago_? But-but when you were here earlier, you and Jerry were all over each other! Like _animals_, I tell ya! What happened?"

Elaine sniffled "It was my fault, George. I broke up with him."

"But why?"

Elaine blinked, causing another tear to escape. "I-I should go."

"Hang on a minute." George said, gently touching her forearm. "What happened?"

When she didn't answer he touched her back. "Come on, let's go back inside."

"No, I really-."

"Please?" He asked, truly meaning it.

She sighed. "Okay."

"Is everything okay?" Kramer asked when George and Elaine reached the front door.

"Let's... go sit over there." George said, pointing to the corner booth.

Confused, Kramer followed them.

They slid into the booth, George and Kramer across from Elaine.

"What happened?" Kramer asked.

George scoffed. "I'll tell you what happened! She and Jerry broke up!"

Elaine's eyes widened. "Ge-orge!"

At this news, Kramer jerked back in surprise.

"You're kidding! Why?"

"That's what I'd like to know." George said.

"We're just... not right for each other." Elaine said softly.

Kramer's eyes widened. "_Not right for each other_? That's _nuts_! Don't you know that Jerry's been in love with you for _years?_ How could you say you aren't right for each other?"

Elaine smiled at the unintentional compliment.

"Well, it seems that some people disapprove." She said, amazed at how relieved she was to get the words out.

"What people?" Kramer yelled, causing heads to turn.

When Elaine realized that almost every eye in the restaurant was on their table, her face began to burn.

"Come on, tell us!" Kramer urged.

"Well, I got into an argument with Sue Ellen after Pilates class and she started tearing into me about us getting arrested and how no one else would want me except for a-and I quote-_pathetic lowlife_ like Jerry."

"That bitch!" George yelled.

"George!" Elaine said, looking nervously around the restaurant.

"The nerve of her! Saying that to you after she goes and marries that loser, David Puddy. If anyone is a lowlife, it's me. Not Jerry Seinfeld!" George fumed.

Elaine tried to hide her smile.

"Don't worry about her." Kramer said. "If anyone's a lowlife, it's her. Not you, Buddy." He added, smiling at George.

George grinned. "Thanks, Kramer."

"Well she's not the only one who doesn't like Jerry." Elaine said.

"What are you talking about?" Kramer asked.

"My father."

"But your father doesn't like anyone." George said. "Mark my words, he hates my guts!"

"I thought you said that he liked Jerry." Kramer said.

"That's what I thought." Elaine said.

"So, what happened?"

"I called him after Sue Ellen... well... To talk, you know? When I told him I wanted to talk about Jerry, he went ballistic, Kramer! Made me promise to stay away from him! Can you believe that?"

"The nerve!" Kramer said, his voice rising hysterically.

Elaine wanted to laugh, but started to cry instead.

"_Damn... not again..."_

"That's why you broke up with Jerry? Because of Sue Ellen and your father?"

"Well yeah, George! What else was I supposed to do? I mean, I didn't want to... God, I _really_ didn't want to, but I ... have you seen him?"

"Not recent-."

"Who Jerry? Yeah, I saw him just a little while ago." Kramer interrupted, ignoring George's glare.

Elaine raised her head, immediately filled with hope. "R-really? I-is he okay?"

"Well, he looked pretty heartbroken now that I think about it." Kramer said.

When Elaine gasped and put her hand over her mouth, George punched Kramer in the arm.

"OW! What was that for?" Kramer whimpered.

"Don't upset her any more than she already is!" George sneered.

"I-it's okay, Kramer." Elaine said. "You couldn't possibly..."

To her horror she began to cry again.

"I-I'm sorry. This is so lame, crying all the time but I just can't seem to stop! It's my own fault for hurting Jerry. I deserve it. I-I didn't even tell him I loved him before I-."

George smiled sympathetically. Then he reached across the table and took her hand, ignoring Elaine and

Kramer's shocked expressions.

"Look... Elaine... It's not your fault! Jerry's a good guy! I've known him for almost my entire life. We survived junior high and high school together. If that's not dedication, I don't know what is! And forget about Sue Ellen Mischke! She's a worthless, no-good-."

Elaine smiled. "George-."

"Well, damn it Elaine! Look what she's done to you! I've never seen you this upset before!" George said.

Elaine reached over and grabbed a paper napkin from the napkin holder, blotting her face with it. "I know... I'm pathetic."

"Will you stop saying that?" Kramer said. "If anyone's pathetic, it's-."

He stopped suddenly, engrossed by something in the window.

"Kramer, what is it?" George asked, trying to follow Kramer's gaze.

"Oh..."

"What's wrong?" Elaine asked.

She followed George's pointing finger, turning her head to look out the window.

_Jerry..._


	11. Chapter 11

"Oh God, what's he doing here?" Elaine sighed.

"Probably trying to find you." George said with a smile.

"B-but he hates me!" Elaine cried, knowing how stupid it sounded.

Kramer and George spoke at once:

"No, that's crazy"

"No way."

"Go talk to him, George." She pleaded. "I don't think I can do this."

"What, me? I think he'd take it better coming from you." George said.

"I-I can't. I-I mean, I hurt him so much, and-." Her voice broke, new tears streaming down her face.

George sighed. "All right. Kramer, make sure she's okay, would ya?"

"Sure buddy." Kramer said.

When George headed for the door, Kramer walked over and sat down next to Elaine.

Elaine put her face in her hands, still unable to stop crying.

At a loss for what to do, Kramer put his arm around her. "Look... Everything will be okay. I promise." He said, patting her shoulder.

George stepped outside the restaurant just as Jerry reached the front door.

"Hey, Jerry."

"George." Jerry nodded in greeting. He reached for the door handle, but George stepped in front of him, blocking Jerry's way.

"George, cut it out. I know Elaine's in there. I could see her through the window."

He moved foreword again, sighing irritably when George blocked him once more.

"Damn it, George!" Jerry said, trying to push his friend out of the way.

"Jerry, look... um... Elaine's pretty upset." George said.

"Well that makes two of us." Jerry said, slumping against the glass window. "I just don't get it, George. I thought she really loved me."

George had never seen Jerry look so sad... without trying.

"Jerry... It-It's not you."

Jerry threw up his hands in exasperation. "Again with the 'It's not you it's me?' What are you trying to say? That it's _you_?"

George was taken aback by the question. "Why would it be _me_?" he asked defensively.

Jerry shrugged. "I don't know. You started it."  
"Well it's not _me_, okay?" George yelled, attracting glances from people across the street.  
"Then what is it? Did she tell you why she left? Because she sure as hell didn't tell me." Jerry said.

George sighed. "Well apparently Elaine's been getting some grief from people who don't really like you."  
Jerry's eyes widened. "Don't _like_ me? Who doesn't like me?"

George laughed nervously. "Exactly! How can anyone not like you? You're a funny guy!"

"Thanks." Jerry said.

George was relieved when Jerry smiled, but the happiness was only temporary.

"So what'd she say?"

This was the moment George had been dreading; Having to tell his best friend why the woman he loved broke up with him.

"She said that Sue Ellen Mischke gave her grief about you. Said you were the only guy she could get! Even called you a _lowlife_! Do you believe that?"

"Damn it! I told her not to talk to that good-for-nothing-."

George put his hand on Jerry's arm to stop him.

"What else did Sue Ellen say to her?"

"Well, Elaine didn't go into details, but whatever it was, she was pretty shaken by it."

"Sue Ellen just wants to get under Elaine's skin because she stole David from her. I mean, it was good for me, but-."

"Oh..."

Jerry's eyes narrowed. "What, George?"

"There's something else."

"Okay, go on..."

"She said that she called her father for advice and when she mentioned your name, he went... _ballistic_. I think that's the word she used." George said.

"_Ballistic_? I thought he liked me!" Jerry said.

George shrugged. "I guess he really doesn't like anybody."

"Okay, so two people hate me. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I guess they made her feel so bad, that she didn't know what else to do. But believe me, Jerry, she's distraught over this.

"Are you sure?"

"Jerry, she was a complete basket case when she walked into Monk's. Kramer and I had to console her. She was crying buckets, Jerry! Buckets! I've never seen a woman so upset before, let alone Elaine."

"Oh man..." Jerry said.

"So what are you going to do?" George asked.

"There's only one thing I can do." Jerry said, taking a stance like Superman.

"I'm gonna get her back."


	12. Chapter 12

Elaine was strangely comforted by Kramer's presence, but she couldn't stay here a minute longer.

Thanks, Kramer, but I need to get out of here."

"Elaine, wait! Don't leave!" Kramer pleaded.

She rose from the booth. "I don't know why I even bothered to-."

Gasping, she looked up to find George and Jerry standing before her.

"Hey Jer-." Kramer said.

"Cosmo." Jerry replied with a nod.

"Um...look. We should go." George said, motioning to Kramer.

"Yeah. Well, see you later, Elaine. Jerry."

"Bye Cosmo." Jerry said, as Elaine looked worriedly at her friends.

"Take care, Elaine." George said.

Elaine watched as George and Kramer headed for the door, and then turned to Jerry, at a loss for what to say.

"I-I'll be right back." She said, refusing to let herself break down in front of him. She'd done enough crying for three lifetimes.

"Sure, take your time." Jerry said, causing Elaine to look away from him. To see the expression on his face would surely send her emotions reeling.

However, she couldn't resist watching him as he sat down in the booth and began to stare out of the window.

When she turned around, she felt a sense of panic... Kramer and George were gone.

"Wait!" She yelled, running out of the restaurant.

Breathless, she caught up with them, just across the street.

"Elaine, what's wrong?" George asked. "I thought you wanted to talk to Jerry."

"I-I do, but..."

"But what?" Kramer asked. "Elaine, he loves you, whether he admits it or not!"

Elaine smiled at Kramer's comment.

To her amazement, she reached out and hugged Kramer and then hugged George as well.

"Thank you..."

"Someone's waiting for you." George said, nodding toward Jerry, who was watching them from the front door.

Elaine looked at Jerry and then nervously at George and Kramer.

"Go on." George urged with a smile.

"Thank you." She said, hugging him again.

Her heart beat quickened as she returned to the restaurant, smiling when Jerry held the door open for her.

"Thanks."  
"No problem."

They stood face to face, neither of them sure of what to say.

Jerry spoke first;

"Elaine, I-."

"Jerry, I don't care what my father says or that bitchy Sue Ellen thinks. I love you!" Elaine blurted out.  
Jerry stared at her, trying to hide the smile on his face. "Go on..."

She laughed, grateful for his humor, and took his hand in hers.

"I-I love you, and I'm so sorry... I-I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Lainey, you don't have to-."

"Please.. I'll never get through this if I stop." Elaine said. The tears that she'd worked so hard to keep at bay began falling down her cheeks. Her heart caught in her chest as Jerry took her face in his hands, brushing them away.

Her voice quivered when she spoke. "I-I'm so sorry, and-."

Before she could finish, he took her in his arms, kissing her over and over.

"I love you, too." He said when the kisses ended.

Elaine wrapped her arms around him, smiling as she leaned into his chest.

Finally she was happy again.

"Come on, Lainey." Jerry said. "Let's get out of here."

Their arms around each other, they walked out of the restaurant, stopping to share a few more kisses.

When the kisses ended, Elaine and Jerry looked across the street to find George and Kramer watching their public display of affection...

With smiles on their faces.

**The End**

**Author's note... I realize that this story is VERY Un-Seinfeld-like, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! Thank you for reading! Even though this is something that George, Kramer, Elaine and Jerry would never do, I like to think that they were better people after their year in jail...**

**Not that there's anything wrong with that! =)**


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